What are the causes and symptoms of a Bartholins gland cyst?
A Bartholin’s gland cyst occurs if the duct becomes blocked for any reason, such as infection, injury, or chronic inflammation. Very rarely a cyst is caused by cancer, which usually occurs only in women over the age of 40. In many cases, the cause of a Bartholin’s gland cyst is unknown. Symptoms of an uninfected Bartholin’s gland cyst include a painless lump on one side of the vulva area (most common symptom) and redness or swelling in the vulva area. Symptoms of an abscessed Bartholin’s gland include: • pain that occurs with walking, sitting, physical activity, or sexual intercourse • fever and chills • increased swelling in the vulva area over a two- to four-day period • drainage from the cyst, normally occurring four to five days after the swelling starts Abscesses may be caused by sexually transmitted bacteria, such as those causing chlamydial or gonococcal infections, while others are caused by bacteria normally occurring in the vagina. Over 60 types of bacteria have been found in
